Dental appliance



Sept.l2, 1950 H. FREEDMAN DENTAL APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1946 Elm-mm;

|NvENToR HYM/,w FREEDMAN AT NEY Sept. l2, 1950 H. FREEDMAN DENTAL APPLIANCE V2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1946 lllllllllfnlll/Al.

INVENTOR /f/YMA'N. @E50/WAN BY A Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES l Piriiznry oFFics v c 2,522,231 .y i.

DNTAL APPLIANCE Hyman Freedman, New Yrlt, N. Y. Application August 16, 194s, seriamdceam This invention relates to improvements in 13 Claims. (Cl. "F12-33)v dental appliances and has for one o'f its objects the provision of an instrument of simple and practical construction which is employed for the injection of fluids into the oral cavity for various purposes, such as an aid to the cleansing thereof during the course of an operation, the' the same hand that holds the instrument in po-V sition.

Another object is to provide illumination for" the oral cavity by mounting a lamp on the in st rument in such manner that duid being with-` drawn by the latter from the oral cavity will be circulated around said lamp to reduce its temperature, thereby avoiding possible injury to the tissues of the'mouth.

Another object is to utilize the cooling eifect ofy iiuid being injected into the mouth'to further reduce the temperature of the lamp by so ar-4 ranging the latter that a portion of said iiuid will impinge directly thereon.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following vdetailed description when taken in connection with the'accompany'l ing drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

'In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one form of instrument embodying features of the present invention.

Fig. `2 is a fragmentary elevation, section', taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 taken through a portion of the valve mechanism and showing the valve body in opened position to permit passage of a fluid therethrough.

"Fig 4 isa similar view showing the valve in closed Iposition.

"Figq5 is an enlarged'sectional view through a portion of the instrument shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

partly in lamp andA its jacket.

Fig'. '7 is a perspective view of an incandescent- Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in sec-i ti`or1`I 'of another type of instrument embodying;

features of the present invention.

Fig.` 10 is a similar view vtaken at right angles;

' to Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section on the line ||I 'I f Fig. 9'.

The instrument illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 is of thetype shown in my United States Patenti., No. 2,274,893, dated March l3, 1942 and comprises an ejector tube generally indicated by the 1111i-, meral I2.` Said tube consists of a handle section,y I3, an intermediate curved section I4 threaded at"` one "end onto the vsection I3, and an angularl mouthpiece section I5 the inner portion of whichI extends at right angles to the section I3 While: its outer portion is at an oblique angle thereto."

The innerv end of said sectionV I5 is reduced toV iitinto the adjacent end of the section I4 and terconnects the sections in a manner which perkmits relative rotation of the section I5 with al abead and groove formation I6 frictionally in` consequent ability to shift the outer extremityv thereof to the right or left of the floor of thet mouth so that it may be moved out of range of the "field of work, without movement of the hanf" dle'section I3; The lower end of the latter sec-,

tion extends into av exible'sheathing I1 of any suitable material where it is joined to a pipe I 8 patentfthis suction being utilized to withdraw or discharge'salivaand other accumulations fromv the mouth duringthe course of an operation. The free extremity of the mouthpiece section stantially spherical form having slits or openings 20 therein through which fluids and other matter will enter the head and be drawn off by ejector tube when said head is the suction in the resting on the'oor `of the mouth. To removably portions ofthe head.

Associated with the ejector tube I 2 and mount--` ed directly thereon is a smaller fiuid injectorf tube comprising theinterconnected lower and' upper sectionsl 22 and 23, respectively, which" 4conform to the contourofsaid tube I2 and are l utilizedfto inject water and air into the oral"` cavity under the control' of a valve mechanism presently' to be described. The free end of the injector section 23 extends through a block 24.y H'and"terminates in'an upwardly directed nozzle" in which suction may be created in any preferred manner,"such as shown in the above mentioned l5 is provided with a removabie head I9 of sub- 25. A small valve 26 is sliclalble in the block 24 and may be used to regulate the size of the nozzle opening and thus control the Volume of the spray emitting from said nozzle. At a point contiguous to the elbow of the section l of the ejector tube and adjacent the nozzle 25, the tube section 23 is provided in its underside with a small port or vent 21 through which a limited quantity of the injected fluid will be permitted to escape for a purpose which will appear in thev course of the description. i

Air and water, under pressure, are fed to the injector tube from suitable sources connected tov the flexible hoses 21' and 28, respectively, which are enclosed within the sheathing l1 and joined therein to the pipes 29 and 30 leading tothe valve mechanism which controls the feed of the fluids to the injector tube section 22, the lower end of which is provided with the branches -3l and 32 also connected to said mechanism.

Generally, this valve mechanism is mounted directly'on rthe handle'sectionl ofthe ejector tube and is so designed that it may be grasped in the hand and controlled thereby for the admission of air or water 'from the sources of supply into the injector tube and through the nozzle 2.5 thereof; Specifically, said mechanism comprises a base plate 33 suitably secured to the tube section lf3 andjtapered longitudinally, as shown in Fig. l: Said plate is thickenedLv along its center 'portion as vindicated at '3e (Figs. 3 and 4) and 'these portions act as a support for the 'complemental valve bodies 35 which are secured thereto by cement 'or other suitable means. Each valve body is of an elongated formation and vsubstantially :oval in cross-sectionand is made of a compressible 'material of any desired nature. The Avalve is provided therein lthroughout its Vlength with a slit.

36' the width of which may be varied as desired.

The lower `end of the Avalve receives the'upp'er end. i

of its associated pipe 2'9 or F50 to 'establish com.- munication between the latter 'and' the slit .36 which constitutes a channel through which the fluid 'ows into the branch 3'I or 32v and thence` into the injector tube. The pressure under which the 1iiuid enters the pipe '2,9 Aor 3B is sufficient `to1 force open the slit tt when pressure 'upon the valve body is ielievedV in a m'anner to presently appear, and it may be tha't, under certain con.-

ditions in which pressure upon the 'body is being maintained, a slight amount of Vuid may ,pass through said 'body when 'not intended, lbut vthis condition is not detrimentalto the effective operation ofthe device.

In order to maintainv pressure upon the .valve bodies to substantially shut off the `flow. of fluid.

therefrom and to relieve such pressure 'to permit of said flow when desired, each valve 35 has associated therewith a lever Si which is `mounted upon a pivot fiearried' by the base-plate ,33. 'The two levers extend llongitudinally over the valvev bodiesiii and the handle r-portions 3.9 of sa'idl'eversv are arranged .along and on `opposite sides of the.

handle `section i3 of the ejector tubeso that they may be conveniently engaged. and depressed Aby the thumb of the hand which is used to Ygrip the instrument. The lever 3??, which kcontrols-the flow of water through the, right hand. valvel 35. (Fig. .2) is `serrated or similarly marked', as indicatedat 4Q, to enable the operator to identify, by touch, the proper lever, to be depressed.. As best shown in Figs. 3 ande, each'lever 3? isA-increased in j thickness in the .portion thereof overlying. its valve 535 and said portion rests .uponthe upper surfaceof said valve so that it may exert adowlr- Y tube.

i 4 Ward pressure thereon to close the channel 36. This downward pressure is accomplished through the medium of a resilient means in the form of a bowed spring element di which is spread so as to engage one extremity thereoi with the lever 31 and its other end with the under surface of the base plate 33. When so positioned the spring exerts a downward pressure upon the valve to keep its channel closed until the end 3Q of the lever is depressed, whereupon said pressure is relieved andthe desired fluid will` iiow into the injector Provision is made to vary the amount of -pressure upon the valve by the spring iii. This is .accomplished by adjusting the spring along the lever to different distances from the fuicrum thereof. To` 4designate these different positions and aid in retaining the spring in its adjusted 'pds-ition, the upper surface of each lever 3l is provided with a longitudinal row of spaced recesses 42 and a similar row of recesses 3 is provided. for each lever` in the bottom surface of the baseplate 33, said recesses receiving the ends of the spring di, as shown in Figs. 3 and e.

` The .invention further contemplates improved means `for illuminating the .oral cavity while 'the instrument is in operation. This illumination is accomplished by a 'smallincandescent lamp 4d which is inserted into Ythe horizontal portion of the mouthpiece section l'throughan openingfd' formed therein at the elbow of said section, and when said lamp isin proper position its outer end will project slightly beyondthe adjacent surface of said section so Vas to 'afford' the ,proper amount.

of. illumination. Also, the projecting end oi 'the lamp will 'be positioned directly beneath the port..

2'iin the 'injectortube so that any fluid dropping..

movably mounted within the horizontal portiony of the section l5 by insertion through the opening. 45 and is directlyy in the'path of the uidbeing withdrawn 'from "the mouth 'by suction. A head2 4.7 on `the jacket seals .the opening '45 vto 'prevent leakage Yat this pointanda detent '48 on the tube engages a recess :it 'in Athe jacket 'toY frictionally maintain the latter "in position. By '1Q- cating the jacket inthe path of 'flow lin the 'tri-be I5, this flow is employedv to 'further reduce .the temperature ofthe lamp 45 and, "to-thisend, said jacket is provided, :as `shown in Figs. 5 '6 and/'7j with 'a circulatory channel il opening into the. under side thereof andA extending,'longitudinally to the rear end of the jacket. 'The provision of this channel permits the fluidflowing upwardly in the section d'5 to Acome into direct contactk with the lamp with the result that the tem.'- perature of its. casing will be vreduced to an extent that possiblelconta'ct thereof with the tissues of the mouth will not'be injuriousforpainul. The fluid Apasses through .the,.jacket and thence flows downwardly into thev discharge .pipe i3.

.Inathe form of jacket shownin Eig. :8,l thebody. thereof is provided with a spiral channel -5'I ex.-

tending the major rportion .of the length of .the jacket and it, like the channel 50lreceives discharge uid in .the sectionland circulates-it about thev lamp within the jacket for directcontact therewith.

vTo supply current to thelampd, .two conductors 52 and Y53 (Fig. l) are extended .upwardly from a suitable sourcethrough the sheating .Ll A .and the lead 52 is grounded onfthe ejector tube i2,

Whilethe .lead passes..upwardly-sinister; saisi tubeand .is connectent@ theibiniiine-nostf54 (Fie. lzwhich berries aanstaat for eneaeementby @ne terminal ofthelamnl. the. otherterminal ef.;whih wntaetathefialietslf with l the-grounded tube l2 th circuit fcjrthelama,- ..l i

In Fiss- 9 t0 1.1,y theinventivn S, .Showninfits adaptation wail instrument@ testifies .disclosed in my United States Patent.No2.393.319.,dated January .22.. .1946. ,The partef .the instrument Shown herein comprisesaaei-eeto1t tube. .56- which supports an injectortube 51 the upper end of which terminates in an angularly disposed nozzle 58 upon whichra mirror 59 is -mounted at an oblique iangle, so that itsreecting surface faces the ffnet ene" ofthe ejector' tube 56. 's aidzimet end is madey to accommodate af lamp jacke t 46 in which aflam'p "44 is mounted and supplied with currentiin the manner v.previously described.v Rays from the lamp 44. are reected by the mirror 59 so that they will be directed intol the oral cavity when. the instrument. is properlyf held! in position.. :As water from thenozzle 58 is'sprayed upon a surface, a certain amount thereof will rebound outwardly and fall directlyor drainvfrom the mirror 59, into a drain pan 60 mounted upon andpartially encircling theinlet end ofthetube 56, and this pancommunicates with thechannel U in the jacket 4 6so that the liquid will be circulated around the vlamp 44 to cool the same before flowing down into thetube 56. e

1.. In a dental appliance, an ejector conveying fluid from the oral cavity, a lamp carried by said tube for illuminating said cavity, and a jacket for said lamp insertable into said tube in the path of fluid being conveyed from said cavity, said jacket having a, spirally formed circulatory channel therein for the admission of said uid for direct contact with the portion of said lamp within said jacket.

2. In a dental appliance, an ejector tube for conveying fluid from the oral cavity, a uid injector tube extending along said ejector tube for a portion of its length and terminating in a spray tube for t nozzle and further having a port adjacent said nozzle, and a lamp insertable into said ejector tube adjacent saidnozzle and having its outer end positioned in proximity to said port and arranged with respect thereto so that fluid exiting from the latter will impinge on said outer end of the lamp..

3. In a dental appliance, a fluid injector tube having branches for the admission of air and water into said tube, a, compressible valve body connected to each branch and having a substantially oval cross sectional configuration to form opposed substantially fiat pressure surfaces, each body being provided with a slit therethrough whose Width extends in the direction of the transverse elongation of said body, a support for said valve bodies engaging a certain pressure surface of each body, and a control lever for each body and having a pressure portion engaging the surface opposed to the last named surface and being of a width substantially that of said slit.

4. In a dental appliance, an ejector tube having an angular mouthpiece forming two sections and having an opening contiguous to the inner adjacent ends of said sections, a lamp jacket insertable in said opening and extending into one of said sections and provided therein with a circulatory channel, and a lamp mounted within Sad. Jacket .and having ,itsilluminatineiendfprce iectine y011.tirardlv'.from the otherj of said mouth.-v pece. Lgt '31. ...1.5m j -wlf 5- 111 aedental. pliante,A an ejector tube-'for conveyinguid from the oralf, cavity,ga lamp:.car,: riedfby said tube, and a,y jacketfi-tted Withinsaid` tube fand, having-circumferential engagement with theinterior wall thereof vand 4in which said lamp snugly ts, said jacket having acircu-latory vchanliel cut through the wall thereof toexpose thereon, said spring element being adjustable to... ward and away from the pivot for the levertot,4 ereby locate said spring element at Ivarious positions on the leverto ,exertvaryingpressure? thereon and against the associated valvebo'dy. 7. In a dental appliance of thetcharacter de` scribed, a handle portion, `afluid ejector tubek exe'.v tendingl from said handle portion and having branches for the-admission of. vair .-and .Waterf:

into said tube, a mounting plate secured to said handle portion, a compressible valve body for each oi said branches carried by said plate and having a fluid passage therethrough, a lever for each body pivoted on said plate and having a pressure-applying portion bearing on its associated valve body, and a spring element of substantially C-shape straddling the pressure-apply1 ing portion of the lever, the associated valve body and the plate, said spring element having its opposite ends respectively engaging against the plate and against the pressure-applying part of the lever.

8. In a dental appliance as provided for in claim 7, wherein the pressure-applying portion of each lever is provided with a plurality of longitudinally-spaced recesses adapted to selectively receive one end of the C-shaped spring.

9. In a dental appliance of the character described, a handle portion, a fluid ejector tube extending from said handle portion and having branches for the admission of air and Water into said tube, a compressible valve body for each of the branches, a plate carried by the handle and interposed between the valve bodies and said handle, a lever for each valve body pivoted on said plate and havingva pressure-imposing part disposed against the outer side of the valve body, means for imposing spring pressure on each of the pressure-imposing parts of the levers comm prising a spring having one part operative against the rear of the plate and another part operative against the front face of the pressuren imposing part, and spaced seats on the face of the pressure-imposing part for selective engagement by the part of said spring.

10. In a dental appliance, an ejector tube havlng an inlet, an injector tube having an end thereof extending beyond said inlet and terminating in a nozzle, a mirror through which the nozzle extends and carried by said injector tube at anebiiqu; ax'ieievtherewwithi the-:faceef. Said mi'ror'adjacentisaid inlet, a lamnmounted in v11. In' a-dental'appliance;` an ejector.v tube yoitconveying Huid fromV the-oral cavity, faffluid in--f jectontubeextendingalong said 'ejector-'tube for a iportion of itsllelgtn and terminating inan `out-- let end, and a v.lamp received' in said ejectoi tube', said. lamp. having' its outer r'ena A1'Ino'si'ti'onedlin proximity lto theoutlet'enda'nd located to receive at .least :someportonfof the Huid-emanating from' thesnutlet endaof 'the' injector tube..

conveying fluid fromfthe oramai/ity, a 'lampv fearried byisaid tube for illuminating saidr cavity, a jacket forisaid-.l'am'p inseftabl'e' into said tube in the path of fluid being :conveyed from fthe'eavity,

the: lamp being` .housed` in said jacket with tlfieV end O vthe lmp'xtndg Out 0f and fOlWa''dly of 'the tube and: the jacket'therein, =saidfjacket being formed Witha: aircula'tory channel for the admission .of k:said-duid for direct Contact 'with said jack'et.A

13. In 'ai dental appliance', an 'ejector 'tube for conveyingV nuid :from the oralcavty, lan injector' tubeexten'ding' along sai-d ejector tub'e 'fora porftion fof itsllengthand terminating 'in anfoutl'et emi, a-'lam'pttd intheejector tubean'cl`r having" anend yprotrumlinfgjout fof said tube and positioned iin proximity to the outlet end-of the' injector tube andlinpositionffto receive at least `some' of the iiuidl sprayed from said injector tube, a jacket airaneed"Withinltheejector tube andsurroundinjg. that portion of the lamp which is located within saidnejfecto'r tube; th'ejacketbei-ng provided with a'v circulatory channe'iif'or` the admission ofv iuidY entering saidejector' tube 'and' permitting direct contact of" said iuid with that portionl of the .lamp that'isflocatedf within' the jacket.

l FREEDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references "are-` of recordtlin fil-e 'of this piaiteiit:` n

UNITED ySLA'IFIS .PATIENTS Nurrlbter 'Name Date.- 525,816 @sborn Sept. 111., 1894 819,611 Bla-sin'game Jan. 23, 119.06y 950,1?09 Levkowi'cz Feb; 22,1910.v

.2,098,732V Prather A Nov. i9, 1937i 2,161,151. Freedman June 6, 19359 2,255,657 Freedman Sept. 9,1941

22745893 -ireedman` Mar. 3, y1942 2,393,319 Freed-man J ari-22, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date France Apr.. r301924 

